Initially I thought it was going to be a poor turn-out by H5 as only 7 of us were on the train. Ringkisser gloated over how cheap her ticket was and G-String (what a star) broke out the Speckled Hen and Bucks Fizz. A jolly atmosphere pervaded as the alcohol started to flow. No Knickers was recovering from her hen night the night before, but even she started guzzling the hooch. Having arrived later than expected at King's Cross it was going to be tight to get down to Waterloo to drop off bags and get to Ben Ben in time for the 12:00 start. At this point Ringkisser thought she would inject a further delay by throwing her ticket under a parked train! What a muppet! By now Donut and Ward 10 had appeared, so the crowd of us stood around while Ringkisser shrieked and whooped until a BR employee turned up with a 'grabber' and retrieved the ticket. It was now 20 minutes until the start of the run!

Penetrator took charge of Ringkisser's ticket and we dashed for the underground. Found the pub, dropped bags and then we legged to Big Ben. Crossing the bridge at 3 mins past 12, there was a dearth of hashers around. Suddenly Pongo appeared out of the crowd and indicated which way the pack had gone. It was now a case of a fast run to try and catch up with the pack. With Penetrator and No Knickers in the lead we headed off down the Embankment. Underlay, G-String, Skidmark, Big Blouse and Donut were just behind me and somewhere at the back was Cunning Linguist. After ten minutes running we met up with some other late comers who had missed the On-Off but there was still no sign of the main body. Gradually more odds and sods joined and after about another five minutes Knobber, Hairy Gusset and Muddy Waters were seen just before the back hare and sweepers were discovered. By now our small band of H5 was well spread out, but finding a check I proceeded to 'check it out'. The main pack were still not to be seen when I found chalk and called the 'ON'. Looking behind me the group of late-comers seemed to have swelled somewhat into a huge crowd of hashers. Suddenly I caught sight of the familiar H5 purple shirt, and then another and another. It was the pack and somehow I had become an FRB! Bed Pan, Capt fantaaastic, Pooper, Ringer and Bell End were all soon running by as I waited for Underlay and any others to catch up.

There was considerable relief at having found the Leap Year hashers (just imagine if we hadn't caught up and had to run around on our own. Would that have been fun?) and it was time to take in the surroundings. Ohh it was London. St Pauls was nearby and a check just there eventually led to the Millennium Bridge. Crossing over the bridge the trail took a right turn in front of the Tate Modern (reminds me, must wash my bed sheets one day) and more Hfivers were to be seen. Stallion and Mekon trotted by and then White Rabbit (someone had said she had caught the train to Kings Lynn and was looking for Big Brian, but obviously that wasn't true!).

By now the run was in it's final stages. We were soon back at the Wellington pub and it was time for the down-downs. H5ivers involved were Big Blouse and No knickers, Gor Joyce and Keith [as he was then, later to become renowned in H5 annals as Count Roadkill .. Scribe], Skidmark should have been but overcome with shyness did a runner to the nearest Burger King for some reason! White Rabbit got a DD and so did Mekon and Underlay for being virgin leap year hashers. And that was it except for one thing. Poor Cunning Linguist (AKA The Lone Hasher or Billy No Mates) never caught up with any of the pack until she met up with the back end reprobates (mostly H4) and turned up ages later. She was quite good about it though and only told the GM to 'GET AWAY FROM ME!' just the once when the reason for her moisten eyes was enquired upon!! Can't wait for the next one in 4 year's time!

ON-ON Shagpile